Flight secrets: The sneak trick cabin crew use to avoid being disturbed by passengers

The smooth running of an aeroplane and in-flight journey is mainly dependant on the pilot and cabin crew. On-board staff have a variety of responsibilities, from highlighting safety procedures and checking boarding passes. As well as catering to food requirements, they can be called upon by passengers during any minute of the journey for assistance. This leaves them with little time to themselves, as they are usually always on duty.

Staff have to take designated breaks during the journey yet, if the aircraft is not big enough to accommodate separate, closed off staff areas, a nifty trick has now come to light.

Former flight attendant James let slip how he used to make sure his was not disturbed heading for his break – under any circumstance.

He told Australian radio show, Kyle & Jackie O: “I used to have a trick every time I went from one end of the plane to the other to eat my lunch someone would always ask me something.

“And I’m just like I just want to eat my lunch!

“So I used to have a trick I’d put a can of coke in a sick bag put a rubber glove on and then walk through the cabin so it looks like I’m holding vomit.”

Talking of the success of his method, he added: “No one asked me for a thing.”

Meanwhile, in separate research, the hidden health dangers when cabin crew do not clean a plane between flights has been revealed.

Airline British Airways created a fresh trend earlier this month when staff were ordered not to clean the cabins between flight routes, as a time saving measure.

The company tested out its new plan on a short haul route between London to Dublin, with the intention of reducing the ordinary 40-minute turnaround time.

A memo sent to flight staff saw cabin crew advised not to “do any cleaning of seat pockets, crossing seatbelts etc”.

Yet any apparent time saving measures could have come at a potential cost to health, according to nutritionist Shona Wilkinson.

Travellers could be exposed to different strains of illness should they travel on a short haul plane that had not been cleaned.

She exclusively told Express.co.uk: “We know that any crowded place can contain many germs and increase our risk of exposure to strains of viruses.

“You only have to see how dirty the London underground is to be aware of this!

“The difference with a plane is that you tend to be on them for longer and could perhaps be exposed to strains of viruses that your body hasn’t come into contact with before due to the different nationalities of the passengers.+ ADD more CONTENT to this page

“Microbiologists have tested planes and found that they have many germs which can last for hours or even days after the passenger who bought them on board has left the plane.”